Show-case construction.



I. W. MILLER.

SHOW CASE CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 24, 1912,

1,076,143 Patented Oct. 21, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1. 5 13 I. W. MILLER.

SHOW CASE CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED AUG 24, 1912.

1,076,143, Patented 00's. 21, 1913.

3 SHEETS'SHEET 2.

I. W. MILLER.

SHOW CASE CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 24, 1912.

Patented Oct. 21, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3' I a v 1 a I i 1 I i I 4 f IlIl/IIIIIIII. I IIIIIIIIIII [III]!!! :11

, UmT nsTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

IsAAc w. MILLER, on ST. LOUIS, MIssoURjI,

AssidNoR mo MILLER .S'l-ORE rIx'rUm COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURiI, A GORPORATION-OF MISSOURI.

SHOW-CASE CO LNSTRL .TION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented Oct.

Application filed August 2441:212 Serial N o. 716,849.

To all whom it may concern:

Be;it k;nown that I, IsAAo MiLLnn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of'tliecity of St. Louis and.,Stat.e.of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Inihereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings which form part of this specification and wherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur, Figure 1 is a. fragmentary horizontal section through one end portion of a metal show case structure illustrating. an embodimentof the invention; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary. .verticalseet-ion through the front panel and cofiperating portions of'the base and topof the case; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section through the. back of the case; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of one of the rear corners of the base; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section of the lowerportion 9f 9. rear post and adjacent portion of the base; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of one .of the front corners of the base; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the outer member of one of the front corner posts; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the inner member of one of the front corner posts secured to the front and end panels; and Fig. 9 is a fragmentary horizontal section showing a modification of the corner construction.

In Figs. 1 to 8, inclusive, the invention is illustrated as applied to an. all-metal frame construction. The complete base on which the side panels are mounted is :1 rectangular open frame comprising the front rail 1, end rails 2 and rear rail 3-; and as both ends are alike, only the portion of the case adjaoenttq one end is shown in the. drawin s.

The front and end rails 2 are con- ;structed alike. They each comprise a char ,neled strip of metal 4' w-hose inner verti' 1 iflange 5 1s-;turn'ed inward-horizontally, as :at 6, and whose outer vertical flange 7 is :turned outward horizontally, as at 8. Inside of the channeled strip 9 which -has one of its offset, as"

downward, as at 11, in cooperative relation to Ethe, portion 5 and '11 being welded,"riveted, of otherwise ,secured togetheri The opposite marginal portion of the strip 9 is turned downward, as at 12, and then outward, as at 13, said {portion 13 being secured to the body of the istrip' 4. The space between the portions 7 and L2 constitutes a groove or channel in gwhichfthe bottom edge portion. of the panel frame is seated. Over the outer edges of ex tlend entirely across the undersides of the m1 s. The back base rail comprises a channeled strip .16, the marginal portions of whose g'flanges 17 are turned inward, as at 18. An :inner strip 19 has its marginal portions flanged, as at 20, and then offset outwardly, as at 21, the base portions of the two strips 16 and 19, and the flange portions 17 and -21 thereof, respectively, being welded, rivetedor othcrwise secured together. A member'22 which is made 0f.a. sheet formed substantially U-shape and inverted is fitted in the chaunel rovided by the base members 16 and 19. he upper portion of this member 22 is reinforced by an angle member 23; and the lower portion is reinforced by a channel member 24 which is fastened.- to' th e base members 16 and 19 by screws 25: The back rail member 22 has a. channel member 26 secured thereon whose flanges 27 constitute tracks for the rollers 28 of sliding 'doors 29. The upper edge portions of the doors 29 slide in guideways comprising inverted channel members 30 riveted to the under side of the back rail 31 of the top frame. The back rail of the top frame comprises a strip of metal bent into rechngular form. with its meeting ends 32 overlapping and riveted together. The lower inner corner. portion of this top rail 31 is reinforced by an angle member 33.

The front and end rails of the top frame is another stiipj marginal portions at 10, to provide a seam-er the flange 6 of the outer'strip' i', and thntu'ined' of the latter, said' port-ions 5' 'the front and end base rails are placed 'inold'ing strips 14 whose base portions 15- flanges 65 of the angle comprise a strip bent at right angles at other words providing slide-ways 69 for said 34 and 35, the portion 34 being flanged down flanges (35. The marginal port-ions of the ward, as at 36, and then inward, as at 3?;

while the portion 35 is flanged inward, at 38. The portions 35 and 36 have secured thereto oppositely disposed filler blocks 39 whose adjacent faces are in planes flush with the edges of the respective flanges 3? and 38. A molding strip 40 has one marginal portion oilset as at all, and welded or riveted to the portion ill of the top rail member. At intervals corresponding to the location of the blocks 39 angle members 42 are secured on the inner side of the molding. These members 42 are perforated and screwthreaded to receive securing screws 43 which are inserted through alined perforations in the blocks 39 and the upper portion of the panel frame over which the top railnieuiber is fitted. The offset portions ll of the front and end top rail members, together with a like rabbeted portion l i of the back top rail 31, constitute seats for the glass plate 45.

The rear cornor posts comprise a strip 46 which has a portion turned at right angles, as at 47, the marginal portion being flanged, as at 48. Another portion of the strip is turned at right angles, as at .7:), and then offset inwardly, as at 50, and o ginal portion is flanged inward, as at oi. Pi second strip 52 has one marginal portion flanged, as at and secured to the portion 47 of the first mentioned strip. The oppw site marginal portion oi the strip 553 flangedfas at 54, and secured to the portion 50 of said first mentioned strip. The post thus constructed is seated in an enlarged portion at the rear end of the groove of the end rail of the base frame, and the lower end portions of the strips 46 and 52 are ac cured by screws 56 to the upstanding flanges 57 of a member 57 which is riveted or otherwise secured to the base.

The front panel 58 and end panels 59 are made so that the inner corners of their meeting ends coincide so that they may be cured to an angle member 60. The pant-ls are constructed alike and comprise hollow metal frames 61 fitted with glass plates In practice, one. of the sides of the angle member 60 may be riveted r otherwise secured permanently to the end of one of the panels, as at 63, while the other side of the angle member is detachably secured to the other panel member, as by screws 64. shown in Figs. 1 and 8, the marginal'portions of the angle member (30 are flanged, as at 65, and the sides of said angle member are preferably wider than the thickness of the panel frames. An outer angle member 66 is provided at its inner side with an angle member (37 whose marginal portions are offset, as at (38, so as to overlap the member 60, or in ed inward,

outer angle member G0 are lit as at 70, the edges just touch lg the outer of the front and end panels. The base rails are cut out, as at Tl, at the corners where the grooves that receive the front and end panels meet, so as to accommodate he lower end portions of these an -lo members (30 and In assembling the show case, the rear corner posts are first secured to the base. Then the mu panels are placed on base with their lower edge portions seated in the grooves provided therefor in the end rails, the rear vertical edge portions of the panels being projected into the hollow portions of the rear corner posts; The front panel is then placed in position and the angle mem' ber 60 is secured by the screws 64 to the front or end panel as the case may be; the angle member being permanently secured to the other panel by the rivets 63. The outer angle, member (36 then slipped dowi'iwari'l in engagement with the angle member O. tier the parts are thus assembled, the top of the she case is placed. over the upper edge portions of the panels and fastened by the screws 43. The side and end oanels secured to the base by screws 72 which are inserted from the under side of the base rails.

shown in F S), the meeting corners of the front and end. panels may be mitered and fastened by angle brackets or clipsflon the inner side. The outer face of the panels adjacent to the corners may be rabbctod to provide shoulders 74 over which an angle member (58 may he slipped. The panels, as shown in this modification, comprise solid wooden trames, but it is obvious that the same corner arrangements are ap plicable to the hollow sheet metaljconstruction as well. It is also obvious that the front corner arrangcme'iits illustrated and. described in connection with the sheetmetal structure of Figs. l to 8, inclusive, is applicable to a wooden show case structure, or to one of part metal and part wood.

Obviously, the construction admits of considerable modification without departing from the invention. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the specific construcof said panels.

In a show case, an end panel and a front panel, the ends of said panels meeting so that their inner corners coincide, and means for securing said panels together, said means including an angle mem'ber one of whose sides is tast ned to the end of the end panel and the other to the end of the front panel. the marginal portions of said angle member projecting beyond the outer corners of the re pective panels, and a second angle member whose sides have a sliding engagement with the ')ro iecting marginal portions of said lirst mentioned angle member and overlap and slidably engage the adjacent. outer faces of said panels.

:5. In a show case, an end panel and a t'ront panel, the ends of said panels meeting so that their inner corners coincide, and means for securing said panels together, said means including an angle member one of whose sides is fastened to the end of the end panel and the other to the end of the Front panel, the marginal portions of said angle member projecting beyond the outer corners of the respective panels and being flanged, and an outer angle member whose sides are respectively arranged and adapted to slidably engage the tlanged marginal portions of said tirst mentioned angle member.

1. in a show case, an end panel and a front panel, the ends of said panels meeting so that their inner corners coincide, and means for securing said panels together, said means including anangle member one of whose sides is fastened to the end of the panel and the other to the end of the front panel, the marginal portions of said angle member projecting beyond the outer corners of the respective panels and being tlanged, and an outer angle member Whose sides are respectively arranged and adapted to slidably engage the flanged marginal ortions of said first mentioned angle mem er, the marginal portions of said outer angle member overlapping the outer faces of the" adjacent end portions of said panels and being tlanged inward so that their edges slidably engage the panels.

In a show case, the combination of two angularly disposed side panels whose inner corners of their meeting ends coincide, said panels being connected by an angle member whose sides are respectively secured to the adja ent end faces of the panels, and an outer angle member whose sides overlap the adjacent outer side faces of the panels and are detachablysecured to said first mentioned angle member.

(5. In a show 'ase, the combination of two a ngularly disposed side panels, a member for securing the meeting ends of said panels together, and an angle member detaehably secured 'to said securing member, the marginal portions of said angle member extending beyond said securing member and bear ing against the adjacent outer faces of said panels.-

St. Louis, Mo Aug. 21, 1912.

ISAAC W. MILLER.

\Vitnesses JAMES A. CARR, ANnnnw P. Knssnnm. 

